"I'm three thousand and five years old, I've seen everythi– Kitty! What? No, silly demon, you have to go back there and confess you love her! That, or... oh, wait, Regin, not that one, I like that one's horns! So lickable! Ohhhh, too late, there's another radio eaten. *sigh* Gods dammit, Regin."

- Nїx the Ever-Knowing, a.k.a. Nucking Futs Nїx, Nїxie, Proto-Valkyrie, Soothsayer Without Equal, First Among Valkyries, Phenїx

"See you in Hell."

- Byron Dekker, Specialist, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Rangers

-----

2,900 years ago...
Valhalla
Heaven Plane of the Norse
God Status: Active

Autumn enveloped Valhalla.

Trees flared with colors. Frost bit under her boots. Her breath steamed the air around her. For all that, she couldn't bother with its beauty. Phenїx Ever-Knowing was running with all her immortal might.

This was the day. They'd known for years. Nïx had vowed to the Lore she would be at her mother's side this day.

Her goddess mother had admonished her. One did not tempt the Fates with such a vow.

Yet Phenїx couldn't understand.

She was a soothsayer, able to predetermine the fates and decision trees that would lead to an outcome. Any outcome. Many, including her mothers and father, said she was to be without equal. Even the goddess Isis had said as much while visiting them once in a royal banquet. The queen had mentioned to Freya that Phenїx was destined for prominence.

But how could she be considered great if she couldn't foresee all?

As if they conspired against her, the fates among the mortal realm had taken a vicious turn. An army of humans returning from a campaign in the south discovered their homes under the rule of an immortal. A vampire of the Horde who'd lost his mind to the Thirst.

The vampire used his considerable physical might and wasted-but-still-potent intellect to gouge out an empire in the northern lands. What Phenїx knew would become the Nordic nations.

The mortal human army had gone to siege on the vampire's fortress. The vampire himself had hundreds of mortals and a small cavalcade of loyal immortals.

Shapeshifters, another weaker vampire held in his thrall, and a covey of evil witches who decreed themselves loyalists of the Overlady, whoever that was.

Despite their relative youth, the Valkyries had been called upon to aid the mortals.

It was her twelfth encounter with a Horde vampire. Some of her sisters bemoaned the fact that the vampires were as handsome as Loki. A pretty package with a dead animal inside, was what Furie had used to describe them.

Phenїx couldn't be bothered to worry about it. This thricedamned bloodsucker had died hard. He'd wasted her time. Her mother's time.

Her feet pounded over the bridges that interlinked the outlying village roads with the main city. Simple gold accoutrements adorned each. She passed through the blessed roads of the main dwellings. Then she began diving into the various thralls' dwellings. They hardly had time to shout at her. Her foresight allowed her to duck underneath horses, carriages, around and between crowds.

Phenїx felt unstoppable for a singular moment. I will make it!

Thor and Loki were outside at the double doors of her mama's dwelling for her. They slung the doors open swiftly. Phenїx gave them a quick wave of thanks, tears sparking her eyes. Both bowed their heads to her.

When she reached the center dais though, her heart gave out. Those gathered around were mute.

Freya and Wóden stood over where her mortal mother had been left to pass. Zahra lay upon a soft bed, the rarest kinds of silk available.

She didn't speak. Or move. Her body lay still.

No...

Phenїx rushed over and curled up against her mother's breast. There was no heartbeat there.

NO!

"Mama!"

Zahra had already started to cool. The air shivered hard. A bleak tone curled in her ears, warning her. The fates were closing in for a Lorean vow broken. The first of all Valkyries choked on tears.

She touched her mother's body tenderly. Phenїx strangled the words past her sobs. "I love you, Mama."

Her mother's heartbeat stuttered. "Phenїx!"

"Mama!!!"

Nїx buried herself against her mother's neck, weeping waterfalls. Her mother's wizened hand touched her hair and patted her softly. Over her shoulder, Zahra gazed upon Freya.

She mouthed a silent 'thank you' to her goddess, her best friend.

Freya's face shone with liquid gold for tears while she released her magicks with her right hand. Sustaining her friend's heart was her only option.

Damn the fates to all the hells. They could wait a few minutes to allow a daughter to say goodbye to her mother.

Wóden lowered his protective wards over his wife. He peered about. Alert for any stray evil that might encroach from the fickle fates. He saw none.

The usually dour ruler of Valhalla wrapped an arm protectively around his wife, turning to stare back at his first-among-Valkyries. And the mortal mother he had come to admire as mother to one of his children, a true friend, and a beloved advisor.

In spite of his many thousands of years of existence, Wóden found witnessing this moment one of the hardest to endure.

Zahra rubbed her only daughter's head. A deep sigh passed through her lips. "How many did you save today?"

It was their opening line these last twenty years. Phenїx sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve, shivering. She answered softly, "Two."

"They were good men?"

She nodded. "Yes. Strong, but kind. One struck a blow to cleave a shapeshifter in half. The other grappled with a witch, despite being mortally injured. Furie dispatched that witch. They will make fine warriors for Mother and Father."

Zahra smiled, tears shining on her eyelashes. "Well done, my Phenїx."

Phenїx choked out, "Mama, I'm sorry!"

She had almost missed this.

"Shh, beloved. The fates have their plans, we have ours, and so too do many others throughout the realms. These things will not always coincide with our desires, my Phenїx." Her mother paused a moment, then smiled. "It is time."

Phenїx choked. "Mama, no, please... another few minutes, please."

"Shh..." Her mother held her.

She couldn't squeeze as tightly as she wanted to; she had long ago transitioned into her Valkyrie immortality. She could crush her. Her elderly mother was now so fragile in her mortality, yet Zahra gripped onto her with all her strength and might.

She wept. "I love you, Mama. I love you."

"And I love you, now and always, my Phenїx." Her mother tilted her face so they could look at each other. Both sets of blue eyes connected and linked with one another. "Always, I want you to remember this.

"Even if The End Fate is nigh, embrace every day with joy, love, and passion, my Phenїx."

Zahra closed her eyes with that smile. Phenїx choked when she heard her mother's heartbeat go to a soft halt.

Then it was gone.

Phenїx's eyes blurred with tears. Not even her foresight was working. She couldn't see any further. She buried her face in her mother's bosom. Both her Mother and Father enfolded her in their embrace.

The distant trumpeting roars of her father's allies, the wyrms, filled her ears. Their sendoff to her mother. Those within the warm enclosure were so overwhelmed with their personal grief, no one noticed the single small black fate dripping out of Nїx and flying through the darkened window into the twilight.

*   *   *   *   *

People often describe seeing something similar to a will-o'-the-wisp in the air at odd times in their lives. Others see a scant dark spot skittering at the edge of their vision before it disappears. These are known among some oracles as fates. The choices, vows and prayers of all create these miniscule, often-invisible threads and balls of energy, sparking new paths. Forging new ones.

That evening in Valhalla, the fates recognized that a vow had been broken, but only partially. Such broken vows can darken one's existence if one is not careful.

That singular gloomy fate drifted, aimless. For a time it began to dim. Then, it rapidly shot out and through a dimension portal.

A perfect hand snatched the small dark thing and held it close, inhaling it slowly.

"My, my, my. What do we have here?"

The figure's red lips smiled, her eyes looking over at the others relaxing nearby. "Sisters, it appears we might have an opening on some very troublesome individuals. One we were unprepared for."

One of the others craned her neck up. "Oh? A surprise?"

*   *   *   *   *